The Two Ronnies: The Lost Sketches airs tonight (October 10) on Channel 5, revisiting material and songs by Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett recorded for their 1986 series The Two Ronnies in Australia.
As members of the Barker and Corbett families recall how much the pair enjoyed their Australian venture, fans may be keen to learn more about the stars' personal lives away from the cameras. Ronnie Barker, who died at the age of 76 in 2005, rarely appeared in public, and when he did, it was almost never as his authentic self.
Barker's Hidden Personality
"I've always known I haven't a personality of my own," he once said, according to The Independent. "I have to be someone else to be happy. That's why I became an actor, I suppose." Often hiding behind characters, he preferred to shield his real personality behind a mask or accent.
He avoided public attention by writing scripts under the pseudonym Gerald Wiley so his work would be judged purely on merit rather than his fame. His biographer, Bob McCabe, told The Northern Echo of their meetings: "Eventually he relaxed and was very open, a very genial person to talk to."
"He is a very serious man on one level and he certainly took his work seriously. He is also quite a humble man and he is much more concerned about the work than the fame it would bring."
Career Regret and Early Life
For Barker, performing was a means of escape. While his partner Corbett would appear in their shows as himself, Barker was always disguised in some way. "He is a very shy person on one level, and a very private person, so he is very happy to hide in the characters," McCabe continued. "He disguised himself very well in the characters, to the point where the Ronnie Barker you see on television is almost a character."
Keen to take his career to the big screen, Barker once revealed to McCabe his biggest regret in life. The 2004 article quoted McCabe as saying: "The one regret about his career is that he never really got into movies. He always said he would have loved to have done that one great movie role and he is still quietly holding out for it."
Barker did not start his working life in acting, as after leaving school, he trained as an architect. Though feeling he was not skilled enough, he dropped out after six months. He then began work as a bank clerk at the Westminster Bank, taking up amateur dramatics as a pastime. For 18 months, while still at the bank, he worked as an actor and stage manager. He would eventually give up his job to become a professional actor - a move his father didn't agree with.
Final Years and Legacy
The star died of heart failure after he opted not to have heart valve replacement surgery, and his health rapidly declined after the recording of The Two Ronnies Christmas Sketchbook. He died at the Katherine House hospice in Adderbury, Oxfordshire. His wife, Joy, a stage manager, was by his side at the time, and he left behind three children, including actress Charlotte Barker.
The Two Ronnies: The Lost Sketches is on Channel 5 on Saturday at 5.30pm.
